[1980s Western Music] Nostalgic 80’s Best Hit Songs
The 1980s brought changes to music history and had a huge influence on later musicians.
Cyndi Lauper, Culture Club, Madonna, Earth, Wind & Fire…
Even those who didn’t live through the era can sink into a sense of nostalgia that feels familiar somehow.
Compared to modern songs, the classics of the ’80s often boast purer song quality and stronger musical structure—or, seen another way, the larger market meant bigger budgets, letting you enjoy luxuriously produced sounds.
Find a favorite track and really dive into it!
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[1980s Western Music] Nostalgic 80’s Best Hit Songs (’81–’90)
Oh GirlBoy Meets Girl
The duo of George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, who are now divorced.
Their signature work from the ’80s is undoubtedly “Waiting For A Star To Fall,” which was in heavy rotation on the radio back then.
This song, released as their first single in 1985, is also a mellow and breezy pop tune.
Live To TellMadonna
It hit No.
1 in the U.S.
in 1986.
It was the lead single released ahead of the album True Blue.
I actually think this might be the song that became a turning point allowing Madonna to sustain such a long career.
At the time, it wasn’t well received by people who wanted the breezy dance beats typical of Madonna.
Even for ballads, they felt it wasn’t “Madonna-like” unless it was something sweet like Crazy for You.
But this is a masterpiece that deepens the more you listen.
I believe the lyrics are by her and the music by her co-writer, P.
Leonard, and Madonna’s greatness lies in having the breadth to embrace a song like this.
Down UnderMen At Work
It hit No.
1 in the U.S.
in 1983.
The band is an Australian group formed in 1979 around Colin Hay.
The album “Business as Usual,” which includes this song and “Who Can It Be Now?,” topped the U.S.
charts for 15 weeks.
They also won the Grammy for Best New Artist—truly the height of the “Down Under” boom.
Can’t Fight This FeelingREO Speed Wagon
Reached No.
1 in the U.S.
in 1985.
A massive hit ballad in a style they excel at.
They were once dubbed “the most famous band in America that doesn’t sell,” but their steady dedication to live performances paid off when Keep On Loving You became a surprise No.
1 hit in the U.S.
in 1981.
For some reason, they’re a band that makes you feel “if you work hard, you’ll be rewarded.” It doesn’t have much to do with the lyrics, but the music video, which reflects on a person’s life, makes me cry every time I watch it.
Let’s GrooveEarth, Wind & Fire
This is a track included on the album “Raise!” released in 1981 by the American funk band Earth, Wind & Fire.
The song is pure groove—both the lyrics and the performance scream that tonight’s party anthem is set! It’s a dance number through and through.
FootlooseKenny Loggins
Triggered by the main theme song of the worldwide smash hit film Footloose, this track also became a massive hit.
With its lively sound and irresistibly danceable vibe, it stands as one of the quintessential songs of the 1980s.
It brings back memories of everyone tapping their shoes and dancing as they walked.
It was Kenny Loggins’s biggest hit and is still loved today.
[1980s Western Music] Nostalgic 80’s Best Hit Songs (91–100)
Cum On Feel The NoizeQuiet Riot
After the band’s founder Randy Rhoads left to join Ozzy Osbourne, they began activities with a revamped lineup.
In 1983, this cover of a Slade song became a massive hit, making them the first heavy metal band to reach No.
1 in the U.S., but they struggled afterward and disbanded in 1989.